Vampires

[2]When I was a kid, I wasn’t allowed to watch scary movies. But elements of those films became well-known to me through friends and TV shows. So I knew what vampires were before I ever saw a horror movie on TV or at the theater. There were certain aspects that sounded funny. I recall laughing with friends about lines like “I want to drink your blood!” and the whole garlic keeping vampires away. When I did finally see the Bela Lugosi Dracula, I was surprised that it really was very creepy -- and a little scary. My mom was right in not letting her imaginative child see those movies at an early age.

The movies that I was familiar with a few decades ago present vampires in one way. They were vicious, amoral, ugly blood-suckers who enthralled people – especially women -- by means of supernatural powers. But something strange happened in the last couple of decades. Vampires became young, handsome men and beautiful women. Sometimes they were even – gasp! – the heroes of movies and TV series! How did that happen?
With Halloween coming, I thought it’d be fun to take a look at the evolution of vampires and how we view them. I’ve listed several below, along with the stars.

I guess it doesn’t matter what kind of vampire you prefer for entertainment. Scary, creepy, sad, angst-driven, or even funny. In fact, I probably left out one of your favorites. Who of the undead is your choice?

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